The bass player for Los Angeles-based heavy metal group
Warrant since the mid-'80s,
Jerry Dixon continues to unleash demons with his thunderous playing. Together with fellow '80s rockers
Dokken,
Ratt,
Firehouse, and the
L.A. Guns,
Dixon and
Warrant participated in the Rockfest 2002 tour.
Dixon began playing with
Warrant in September 1984, three months after the group was founded by guitarist
Erik Turner. Establishing itself as one of the hardest hitting bands in southern California, the group took a leap forward in 1986 with the arrival of vocalist
Jani Lane and drummer
Steve Sweet. The group recorded several tracks in
Prince's Paisley Park Studios in October 1987.
Signed to a three-album contract with
Columbia,
Dixon and
Warrant released their debut CD,
Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, in 1989. While the first two singles, "Down Boys" and "Sometimes She Cries" showed hints of the band's dynamic approach, the third release, "Heaven", reached the second position on the Billboard charts and solidified the band's reputation. Appearing on the soundtrack of the 1989 film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, they continued their success with their 1990 album,
Cherry Pie, which included two Top 20 hits -- "I Saw Red" and the title track.
Despite their early triumphs,
Dixon and
Warrant found their popularity waning as grunge became the dominant heavy metal form. When their 1992 album,
Dog Eat Dog, failed to match sales of previous albums,
Columbia elected to not renew their contract. ~ Craig Harris